LAS VEGAS-Cingular Wireless said it will launch its first operational standards-based General Packet Radio Service in the United States, dubbed Cingular Wireless Internet Express, in its GSM markets in California, Nevada and Washington during the second quarter. The GPRS service is the company’s first step toward implementing next-generation wireless services.
The service, accessible through the carriers My Wireless Window portal, will provide an always-on packet data transmission allowing customers to have nearly instant access to e-mail, the wireless Internet, games and additional services.
“The demand for wireless Internet service is growing rapidly,” said Steve Krom, vice president of data and Internet services for Cingular. “With this always-on `Cingular Wireless Internet Express’ service, customers can get the information they need without the wait.”
Cingular pointed out the service also allows customers to take phone calls while “online,” and provides interactive messaging features including e-mail, mobile-to-mobile text messaging, information alerts and numeric messaging.
Cingular said billing for the service will be on a rate yet to be determined per data bit sent and received, with minutes not counting against wireless rate plan minutes.
Cingular plans to launch the service in its other GSM markets, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and coastal Georgia, later in the year.
Ed Reynolds, president of network operations at Cingular, was quick to note that the GPRS launch was not a sign Cingular was planning to implement GSM technology over its current TDMA network, saying the company was still interested in rolling out EDGE services as a convergent point for GSM and TDMA. GSM networks currently make up approximately 28 percent of Cingular’s total markets.
Cingular also launched a Hispanic wireless Internet portal, “Mi Ventana Movil,” capitalizing on the increased demand for Spanish-language Internet service in the United States. According to Cheskin Research, approximately 48 percent of Hispanics in the States own a mobile phone.
The service offers the same access in Spanish to on-demand personalized information Cingular currently provides its English speaking customers through its “My Wireless Window” service.
The service is through strategic relationships with StarMedia Network Inc., an Internet company for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking people, and InfoSpace Inc., a provider of cross-platform merchant and consumer infrastructure services on wireless platforms. InfoSpace will provide the platform and applications for the service, with StarMedia providing Spanish language content, community applications and Hispanic marketing expertise.
“Cingular is on nine of the top 10 Hispanic markets nationwide, and we wanted our customers to be equipped to use Cingular’s service to express themselves in Spanish, as well as in English,” Krom said.
Cingular said the service will be immediately available in major markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, San Antonio, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Tulsa, Okla., with additional markets rolling out by early April.
Mi Ventana Movil can be added to customer’s rate plans for $7 per month, with Web minutes used billed as regular airtime.
